EastEnders snubbed by BAFTA bosses as sacking of fan favourites bites
EASTENDERS boss John Yorke will be first up at the bar in the Queen Vic drowning his sorrows.
Despite attempts to turn around the soap’s ailing ratings by bringing back some old favourites such as Kat Slater, the BBC soap was massively snubbed by TV’s most respected awards board after Bafta bosses failed to give it any nominations.
It comes after EastEnders also lost out to Emmerdale in the Best Soap category at the National Television Awards in January.
And, just as legend Barbara Windsor warned, the sacking of popular characters such as Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell under former boss Sean O’Connor a year ago has proved irreparable.
Even its last Christmas episode was slammed by viewers who described it as the most dreary, gloomy and depressing yet as Lauren and Abi Branning were left fighting for their lives.
Also blanked by Bafta judges when nominations were revealed were The Great British Bake Off and Strictly Come Dancing, despite the last series enjoying its highest ratings ever.
READ ON FOR MORE OF DAN WOOTTON'S BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Troubled star and Dec up for prizes
IT’S been a terrible few weeks for Ant & Dec but finally the pair have something to celebrate.
After Ant McPartlin was arrested and charged with drink-driving following a three-car crash last month, the duo have been nominated for two Bafta TV awards.
The nods are both in the Entertainment Programme category, for their ITV shows Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain’s Got Talent.
It means they have a 50 per cent chance of winning against fellow contenders Michael McIntyre's Big Show and The Voice.
Declan Donnelly is expected to be flying solo at the London ceremony next month after Ant checked into rehab indefinitely to battle his demons.
A telly source said: “It’s a huge achievement for the duo, but it will be bittersweet if one of their shows wins on the night as Ant won’t be there to celebrate with Dec and their hardworking team. Whatever Dec says on stage will be emotional, and all eyes will be on him. Everyone will be rooting for the success he deserves after a tough year.”
The Geordie duo have an amazing track record at the Baftas, including landing two last year.
After hosting Takeaway’s live Saturday show alone, Dec has jetted out to Florida to present the progamme’s grand finale from Universal Orlando Resort.
He’ll be joined on the night by US actress Denise Richards as guest announcer, along with Craig David and Jason Derulo who will provide the music. Regulars Stephen Mulhern and Scarlett Moffatt will also be in tow.
All eyes were on Dec last week and he did a magnificent job.
Just one more show to go and he can take a well-deserved holiday before the Britain’s Got Talent madness begins . . .
bizbit
Morgana Robinson’s Sky Arts series Summer is nominated in a new category introduced for the first time at this year’s Baftas.
The Short Form Programme category recognises productions running for between three and 20 minutes.
The Crown reigns again
Claire Foy might have been paid less than co-star Matt Smith on The Crown, but if her salary was worked out by Bafta nods she should have earned a whole heap more.
She has been nominated for the best actress award for her role as Queen Elizabeth II for the second year in a row, while Matt’s Prince Philip has been snubbed yet again.
The Netflix hit also landed nominations for best series and supporting actress.
Who's up for what
LEADING ACTRESS
- Claire Foy – The Crown
- Molly Windsor – Three Girls
- Sinead Keenan – Little Boy Blue
- Thandie Newton – Line Of Duty
LEADING ACTOR
- Jack Rowan – Born To Kill
- Joe Cole – Hang The DJ (Black Mirror)
- Sean Bean – Broken
- Tim Pigott-Smith – King Charles III
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Anna Friel – Broken
- Julie Hesmondhalgh – Broadchurch
- Liv Hill – Three Girls
- Vanessa Kirby – The Crown
SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Adrian Dunbar – Line Of Duty
- Anupam Kher – The Boy With The Topknot
- Brian O’Byrne – Little Boy Blue
- Jimmi Simpson – USS Callister (Black Mirror)
ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
- Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
- Britain’s Got Talent
- Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
- The Voice UK
MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY SHOW
- Asim Chaudhry – People Just Do Nothing
- Rob Brydon – The Trip to Spain
- Samson Kayo – Famalam
- Toby Jones – Detectorists
FEMALE IN A COMEDY SHOW
- Anna Maxwell Martin – Motherland
- Daisy May Cooper – This Country
- Sharon Horgan – Catastrophe
- Sian Gibson – Peter Kay’s Car Share
DRAMA SERIES
- Line Of Duty
- Peaky Blinders
- The Crown
- The End Of The F***ing World
SOAP AND CONTINUING DRAMA
- Casualty
- Coronation Street
- Emmerdale
- Hollyoaks
ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
- Adam Hills – The Last Leg
- Graham Norton – The Graham Norton Show
- Michael McIntyre – Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
- Sandi Toksvig – QI
COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
- Murder in Successville
- Taskmaster
- The Last Leg
- Would I Lie To You?
SCRIPTED COMEDY
- Catastrophe
- Chewing Gum
- This Country
- Timewasters
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
Michelle's presenting
Mark Wright is not the only person in his household making waves in the world of presenting.
His wife Michelle Keegan swapped acting for hosting, as she did the honours by revealing this year’s nominations at Bafta’s London HQ, alongside ex-Strictly winner Ore Oduba (I’m amazed the Baftas couldn’t rustle up someone better for the gig).
But Our Girl and former Corrie star Michelle revealed that she and her husband will be reunited soon, as he has the gig of a lifetime ahead of him.
She said that the former Towie man – who works for America’s Extra TV in Los Angeles – will be jetting back to the UK to cover Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding on May 19 for the network.
She said: “He’ll be back soon.”
In fact Mark will be presenting the coverage just six days after Bafta’s May 13 ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall – a famously boozy bash.
Just enough time to get over the hangover, then.
must watch
WHAT? Big Cats About the House, 8pm, BBC2.
WHY? A ten-week-old jaguar causes havoc in presenter Gile Clark's house, ripping up a sofa and opening the fridge in the last of this heart-warming three-parter.